not just another speed thread

I'm honestly not sure. You can exercise your fingers until they blaze back and forth, but if you're not in time it doesn't really mean squat. The only way I know of to build speed is to play with a metronome SLOWLY, and gradually speed up, making sure you are in time. So indirectly I guess I'm telling you to go buy a metronome.

 

...or your punk band could try somehting new and no one could play intime with anyone else, and you could just go crazy and hit your bass and stuff like that evil man from van halen......no wait.....that would scare me.....a lot

 

I agree with the above that the best way to improve your speed is with a metronome. If you really want to improve - go buy one, they're really cheap. You can see your progress with a metronome because you can set it for as fast as you can go, get comfortable with it, move it up a notch, get comfortable with that, etc., etc.

The only other way I know to build speed is to just sit there and hammer away a pace that feels a little beyone what's comfortable. Time, practice and patience are the only things that are gonna mean anything in the long run.

Last note. If you're really against getting a metronome (not sure why you would be), you can use your stereo as a beat keeper. Blast the stereo, unplug your bass, and just play any ol notes in time with whatever song is playing. If it's really fast and you can't keep up, play quarter notes, if it's slower and you can play 16th notes or 32nd notes, then do that - even if you're pumping along slowly, it will help your timing and you speed.

 

there is a web site, I don't remember wich one that have a metronome. I think they also have drum beat.

You can probably find a metronome (used) for like 5$, so don't tell me you don't have enough money to buy one!!

 

A metronome is a metronome, the ones that just keep simple click click click time are anyways.

Another way to develop speed is to just play a lot. You wind up developing both speed and endurance at the same time, which is a good thing. Eventually, you'll find that you can play much faster for extended periods of time. Jaco always said he developed his speed/endurance/precision by just playing a lot. Like 3-4 sets a night 6 nights a week.

 

Not all metronomes are the same, some have more options than others. E.g. on my Korg MA-20 (get one of these) I can change which beat should be accented, I can tap temo and I can even make it squeal some pitches for tuning reference. Can't do that on all metronomes. Also, some metronomes I've encountered have a click sound that doesn't cut through the sound of an amplified bass guitar, even at lower volumes. They're too... "discreet".

I recommend the Korg MA-20. Shouldn't cost you more than $20-$25.

 

There are tons of freeware metronome programs available on the net.

Band in a Box is a great practice tool too. You can even practice over chord changes with a midi band.
The GUI looks a bit old-fashioned, but it's a cool program.